Manchester City Back In For This English Dazzler: Can Pep Pull This Off?

According to reports, Manchester City are closing in on an agreement with Tottenham Hotspur full-back Kyle Walker as Pep Guardiola continues to bring in exciting prospects this summer. The English right-back has enjoyed a phenomenal season with the North-London side last term leading many top clubs to join his pursuit.

This will be the first time that the Manchester outfit are splurging heavily to reinforce their defensive flanks. Following a disastrous debut season for Pep Guardiola, the Spaniard decided against renewing contracts of the ageing players, which includes the likes of Gael Clichy and Bacary Sagna.

While Clichy was still able to hold the place under the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss till the last day of the season, the right-back’s position has been a huge uncertainty. Guardiola ended up using all options at his disposal who were feasible in that role in Sagna, Pablo Zabaleta, Fernandinho and even Jesus Navas.

However, now with Sagna, Zabaleta and Navas released, Guardiola would take this opportunity to bring down the age of the average squad. And the 27-year-old is in his prime now, with all the speed in the world to work up to that right flank.

One of the biggest strength of Walker, which would definitely come in handy for Guardiola is his versatility from wide areas. A right-back by nature, Mauricio Pochettino has often used him as a wing-back or a winger; something which Guardiola relishes experimenting with. He has managed to register six assists in all competitions for Spurs and given his good acquaintance with the three-man as well as four-man defence, he won’t have too many problems adapting to City’s changing formations.

Considered one of the best right-backs in the Premier League at the moment, Walker has played 198 times in the top-flight football so far, scoring five goals and assisting 21 times. He is now a regular in the Tottenham squad for the past seven years now, playing over 200 games for them. He would bring both experience and quality to any side he goes.

An academy product of Sheffield United, Walker spent a small stint with Northampton Town before Tottenham bought him in 2009. It was followed by some more loan stints with Sheffield United, Queens Park Rangers and Aston Villa before he nailed a first-team place for the London club in 2011.

His impressive displays had earned him a national debut back in 2011, and he has played 25 times for the Three Lions since then. And with the 2018 World Cup coming up next year, this season will be the most crucial one in his career.